United Kingdom Statutory Instruments

"ceramic article" means an article—

(a) manufactured from a mixture of inorganic materials with a generally high argillaceous or silicate content to which small quantities of organic materials may have been added. Such an article is first shaped and the shape thus obtained is permanently fixed by firing. It may be glazed, enamelled and/or decorated;

(b) which, in its finished state, is intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, or which is in contact with foodstuffs, and is intended for that purpose;

but does not include an article which is supplied as an antique;

"the Community" means the member States and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein;

"enforcement authority" means an authority mentioned in regulation 5;

"import" means the release into the UK for free circulation in the Community;

"place on the market" means the holding of ceramic articles for sale, including offering for sale or any other form of transfer, whether free of charge or not, and the sale, distribution and other forms of transfer themselves.

(a) fill the article with a 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution to a level no more than 1 mm from the overflow point; the distance is measured from the upper rim of the sample.

(b) samples with a flat or slightly sloping rim should be filled so that the distance between the surface of the liquid and the overflow point is no more than 6 mm measured along the sloping rim.

    (2) Samples which cannot be filled.

The surface of the sample which is not intended to come into contact with foodstuffs is first covered with a suitable protective layer able to resist the action of the 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution. The sample is then immersed in a receptacle containing a known volume of acetic acid solution in such a way that the surface intended to come into contact with the foodstuffs is completely covered by the test liquid.

Determination of the surface area
     4. The surface area of the articles in category 1 is equal to the surface area of the meniscus formed by the free liquid surface obtained by complying with the filling requirements set out in paragraph 3.

(a) 0.1 mg/litre for lead;

(b) 0.01 mg/litre for cadmium.

The detection limit is defined as the concentration of the element in the 4% acetic acid solution, as referred to in paragraph 3(3), which gives a signal equal to twice the background noise of the instrument.

    (2) The limit of quantification for lead and cadmium must be equal to or lower than—

(a) 0.2 mg/litre for lead;

(b) 0.02 mg/litre for cadmium.

    (3) Recovery: the recovery of lead and cadmium added to the 4% acetic acid solution, as referred to in paragraph 3(3), must lie within 80-120% of the added amount.

    (4) Specificity: the instrumental method of analysis used must be free from matrix and spectral interferences.

Method
     5. —(1) Preparation of the sample—

(a) the sample must be clean and free from grease or other matter likely to affect the test;

(b) wash the sample in a solution containing a household liquid detergent at a temperature of approximately 40 °C. Rinse the sample first in tap-water and then in distilled water or water of equivalent quality. Drain and dry so as to avoid any stain. The surface to be tested is not to be handled after it has been cleaned.

    (2) Determination of lead and/or cadmium—

(a) the sample thus prepared is tested under the conditions laid down in Schedule 1;

(b) before taking the test solution for determining lead and/or cadmium, homogenise the content of the sample by an appropriate method, which avoids any loss of solution or abrasion of the surface being tested;

(c) carry out a blank test on the reagent used for each series of determinations;

(d) carry out determinations for lead and/or cadmium under appropriate conditions.